Our First One-Star Review (And Why That’s Actually Beautiful)

Earlier this week, we received our first one-star review, and honestly? We’re celebrating it.

Here’s what our reviewer said: “Your publication is very appropriate for those for whom it is intended. It is not intended for octogenarians whose literary tastes are from a bygone era. It is interesting to see the difference in styles, but is more depressing than pleasing.”

You know what we heard in those words? Mission accomplished.

When we started Blank Spaces, we knew we weren’t trying to be everything to everyone. We set out to champion new Canadian voices—the raw, real, unpolished gems that traditional publications often overlook. We wanted to create space for writers who don’t fit the conventional mould, who tell stories that might make some people uncomfortable, who tackle today’s realities with today’s language.

Our reviewer is absolutely right: we’re not intended for everyone. And that’s exactly the point.

Literature has always been a conversation between generations, between different ways of seeing the world. Some voices will resonate with you, others won’t. That's not a bug—it’s a feature. It’s how art grows, how perspectives expand, how new voices find their footing.

To our reviewer: thank you for your honesty. Thank you for recognizing that we’re serving our intended audience, even if that audience isn’t you. There's grace in that acknowledgement.

To our community of contributors and readers: this review reminds us why our work matters. In a world where it’s easier to stick with what’s comfortable, what’s familiar, what’s been done before, we’re choosing to amplify voices that might challenge, provoke, or simply offer a different way of seeing.

Some of those voices belong to 20-something poets writing about mental health. Others belong to new immigrants sharing their stories of finding home. Some write about love that doesn't look like the love stories of previous generations. Others tackle social justice, climate anxiety, or the complexities of modern Canadian identity.

These stories matter. These voices deserve to be heard. And yes, sometimes they might feel ”depressing” to those expecting something else—but they’re also hopeful, necessary, and real.

We’re proud to be the platform where a first-time writer from Whitehorse can share space with an emerging voice from Halifax. Where quality matters more than credentials. Where Canadian stories get to be messy, contemporary, and utterly human.

So here’s to our one-star review—and to all the five-star hearts we’re reaching.

We’re not for everyone, and we never wanted to be.

We’re for the voices that haven’t been heard yet. We’re for the readers hungry for something authentic and new. We’re for the belief that Canadian literature has room for every story, every perspective, every honest attempt to make sense of this beautiful, complex world we share.

Keep filling those blank spaces with your truth. ❤️